Top Cell C executive – regarded as the company’s key manager in retaining and attracting customers – is leaving the company as problems mount for the struggling cellphone company.

The mobile phone operator is currently facing a strike action, which has resulted in a lockdown of its head office in Waterfall, Johannesburg since Wednesday.

The company has since suspended workers and they will attend a mass hearing on Monday at the head office, resulting in the closure of Cell C stores.

The departure of Michelle Beetar, Cell C’s chief customer officer, is a blow to the company.

She was hired in 2016 as the first chief customer officer of the mobile phone operator.

Beetar believed that “customer experience is everything” and her departure will hamper Cell C’s plans to retain and attract new customers as staff morale will be impacted in her department.

Her departure has been revealed on Friday by sources that informed TechFinancials that Beetar has handed her resignation and is serving her notice.

In reply to questions from TechFinancials about Beetar’s departure, a Cell C spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Michelle Beetar resigned. She will leave Cell C at the end of September 2019. We do not comment on the reasons why executives leave the company, with the exception of the CEO.”

Cell C has already lost several top executives.

On 1 March 2019, Jose Dos Santos relinquishes his position as the CEO of Cell C.

The company said Dos Santos will take up a role as a consultant offering strategic advice to the chairman of the Cell C board. In this new role, he will be involved in the delivery of Cell C’s strategic intent, which includes the reshaping of Cell C’s debt to ensure the company’s continued sustainability.

The company has also withdrawn its Miss South Africa sponsorship after five years as a major sponsor of the pageant, signalling deeper problems.

As the company at the time continued to face liquidity concerns, Cell C chief procurement and property officer Sherhaad Kajee and chief digital officer Nihmal Marrie also left the mobile phone operator.

Furthermore, the chief executive for content at Black, Cell C’s streaming service platform unit, also left the company after just less than two years in the role, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Surie Ramasaray, the CEO for content at black, was responsible for the growth of the streaming service platform unit of Cell C.

“She negotiated an exit this month after she was technically demoted by Cell C,” a source told TechFinancials.